Non-chronological buffering of segments of a media file

Abstract

Processing a media file includes receiving a request for a media file from a client system and determining, using a processor, a non-chronological ordering of a plurality of segments of the media file for buffering according to historical playback data for each of the plurality of segments of the media file. A first segment of the media file is sent for buffering to the client system as specified by the non-chronological ordering of the plurality of segments. The non-chronological ordering is determined prior to sending any segment of the media file to the client system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 a processor programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:
 receiving a request for a media file from a client system; 
 determining a non-chronological ordering of a plurality of segments of the media file for buffering according to historical playback data for each of the plurality of segments of the media file; and 
 sending a first segment of the media file, as specified by the non-chronological ordering of the plurality of segments, for buffering to the client system; wherein the non-chronological ordering is determined prior to sending any segment of the media file to the client system. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first segment sent to the client system is not a first chronological segment of the media file. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:
 determining user-specific data from the request; 
 wherein determining a non-chronological ordering of the plurality of segments of the media file is further performed according to the user-specific data from the request. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein
 only historical playback data of the plurality of segments of the media file from other users belonging to a social network of the user of the client system is used to determine the non-chronological ordering. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the sending of at least the first segment of the media file is performed without initiation of playback of the media file within the client system. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:
 providing a visualization of the plurality of segments of the media file to the client system, wherein the visualization indicates the determined non-chronological ordering of the segments to be buffered. 
 
     
     
       7. A system comprising:
 a processor programmed to initiate executable operations comprising: 
 including a reference to a media file within a Web page, wherein the media file comprises a plurality of segments; and 
 including within the reference, a parameter indicating that segments of the media file are to be buffered in a non-chronological order. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further programmed to initiate an executable operation comprising:
 determining values for the parameter, wherein the values indicate individual segments of the media file, and wherein an order of the values specifies the non-chronological order of segments of the media file for buffering. 
 
     
     
       9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith,
 the program code executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving, using the processor, a request for a media file from a client system; 
 determining, using the processor, a non-chronological ordering of a plurality of segments of the media file for buffering according to historical playback data for each of the plurality of segments of the media file; and 
 sending, using the processor, a first segment of the media file, as specified by the non-chronological ordering of the plurality of segments, for buffering to the client system wherein 
 
 the non-chronological ordering is determined prior to sending any segment of the media file to the client system. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein
 the first segment sent to the client system is not a first chronological segment of the media file. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining user-specific data from the request; 
 wherein determining a non-chronological ordering of the plurality of segments of the media file is further performed according to the user-specific data from the request; and 
 wherein only historical playback data of the plurality of segments of the media file from other users belonging to a social network of the user of the client system is used to determine the non-chronological ordering. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the sending of at least the first segment of the media file is performed without initiation of playback of the media file within the client system. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 providing a visualization of the plurality of segments of the media file to the client system, wherein the visualization indicates the determined non-chronological ordering of the segments to be buffered. 
 
     
     
       14. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:
 including, using the processor, a reference to a media file within a Web page, wherein the media file comprises a plurality of segments; and 
 including, using the processor and within the reference, a parameter indicating that segments of the media file are to be buffered in a non-chronological order. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining values for the parameter, wherein the values indicate individual segments of the media file, and wherein an order of the values specifies the non-chronological order of segments of the media file for buffering. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein a client system determines the values for the parameter.